Jake Fraser-McGurk tipped for highest level amid breakout summer with South Australia, Melbourne Renegades
Jake Fraser-McGurk’s talent has never been in question. But an interstate move and a change in mindset have unlocked the potential of an aggressive batter destined for the international stage.
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As Jake Fraser-McGurk launched his third six of the night onto the roof of the SCG’s Members’ Stand on Friday, a wry smile came across his face.
The 21-year-old’s talent has never been in question. But his defiant 48 off 24 balls in the Renegades’ first-up loss to the Sixers, his highest score in T20 cricket, was the latest impressive knock of a cricketer ready to prove he has what it takes.
He followed up a world-record 29-ball century in the Marsh Cup at the start of the summer with a maiden first-class century for the Redbacks in the Sheffield Shield last month.
But as a batter who has become synonymous with his hitting power, delivering in the Big Bash has always been a target.
“That’s a massive goal of mine,” Fraser-McGurk said. “It’s also trying to play as well as I can for the team, every player is trying to do that.
“But I really want to take that first half of the season’s form into (the Big Bash) and hopefully we can go deep into the tournament.”
OUT OF THE GROUND!!!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 8, 2023
Jake Fraser-McGurk you star 🔥#BBL13#GoldenMoment@BKTtirespic.twitter.com/qfcOm2LtYD
After breaking onto the domestic scene as a 17-year-old, Fraser-McGurk’s career before this season could be defined as unfulfilled potential.
But this summer he made the bold decision to move interstate to help take that next step as a cricketer. And pushing himself outside his comfort zone in South Australia has proven to be the best thing he could have done.
“I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to get some opportunity,” he said.
“I felt like it was time in my career, even though I’m still 21. I’ve been around for four years but I wanted to play a lot more cricket and specifically red-ball cricket, which might surprise you.
“And it wasn’t direct from SACA that, ‘Yep, we’re going to play you’. I still had to earn my spot through practice and futures games. I did pretty well in thee and they just kept backing me and I got my spot.
“It’s been amazing. I’ve loved my time over in Adelaide. The culture around the squad and the coaches, everyone’s buying in. There’s no me, it’s just we, and it’s brilliant to be a part of.”
And while many players his age talk about finding belief at domestic level and turning that into results, for Fraser-McGurk it’s more about trusting in his talent.
When he sat down to analyse his game in recent years, he felt that because of the aggressive nature with which he plays it almost became dangerous to only rely on form.
“Probably at the back end of last year I used to be a massive confidence player,” Fraser-McGurk said. “Then I changed my process to keeping my routines the same so I don’t let anything else get in the way.
“Having those sort of innings (like the Marsh Cup record century), they don’t happen often but it means you’ve always got something to fall back on.”
Supercut of Jake Fraser-McGurk's 29-ball century.
— Andrew McCormack (@_AMcCormack7) October 8, 2023
The fastest hundred in professional cricket history @7Cricket#MarshCuppic.twitter.com/6YrzxVuvF2
Heading into the Big Bash campaign, Fraser-McGurk was already thinking about what he could learn from the talented players he would be batting alongside.
He can count experienced white-ball veterans such as Aaron Finch, Nic Maddinson and Shaun Marsh as mates after spending so many years in the Renegades system.
But it was the signing of South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock that really had the 21-year-old excited.
“Watching him during the World Cup was just something else,” Fraser-McGurk said. “He’d go out there and you just knew he was going to make a hundred.
“I had a lot of messages from my mates as well saying, ‘He’s just pulled off centuries at the World Cup and he’s going to be playing with you in a month’.
“He’s definitely (going) be one I’m going to be hanging around a lot just to see how he goes about it, see what he does at training and see if I could implement any of those things in my game and make me a better player.”
Yet it’s clear that Fraser-McGurk is destined to perform on a similar international stage in his career.
While his focus to get to that point is creating a portfolio of consistent runs in every format, his teammates can already tell the dynamic batter has higher honours to look forward to.
“At 21-years-old and playing an innings like that?” Adam Zampa said after the Renegades’ game at the SCG.
“He’s obviously had a really impressive start to the year in other formats as well.
“I’d probably put my house on Jake Fraser-McGurk playing in Australian colours one day.”
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Originally published as Jake Fraser-McGurk tipped for highest level amid breakout summer with South Australia, Melbourne Renegades
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